F' I ~'

!!II!""

Ex. 158

SAND MOLDING

165
Table 13. Estimated Production and Cost Details for Producing Motor Frames in Molds Made by the High-Pressure Jolt-Squeeze Method (Example 158)

Jolt-type molding machines are made in several sizes. On intermediate-size work one man operates the machine for making drag Il1;,oldsand another the machine for makmg cope molds. On larger jobs, two men operate each machine. Machines of this type are available for ramming molds in ~asks up to approximately 20 by 28 by 12 m. Jolt-squeeze molding machines use the same pattern equipment as jolt machines, but after the jolting operation the sand is squeezed by air pressure' producing a more uniform and harder rammed mold. Such equipment takes flasks up to approximately 30 by 40 by 15 in., and is widely used because of its simplicity and low capital cost. A high-pressure jolt-squeeze machine (Fig. 13) uses a hydraulic system for the squeeze operation. The compensating head equalizes the pressure applied to each floating peen block as the sand-filled flask is hydraulically raised against the peen blocks. This develops a uniformly dense packing of molding sand against the entire surface of the pattern. The mold mayor may not be jolted, depending on requirements. The machine is capable of producing molds of maximum hardness, rammed uniformly throughout the flask at production rates up to 300 molds per hour. A high-pressure molding machine can be automated when high-production rates are required. Because of the high pressures used (up to 300 psi), pattern equipment must be more accurately designed and constructed, and flasks must be made stiff enough to withstand the pressures exerted against the sidewalls. The flask must not distort or spring during the squeeze operation; this would affect the casting dimensions and accuracy of the flask alignment on the pattern plate. High-pressure jolt-squeeze molding machines are available in different sizes, ranging up to a maximum flask size of approximately 48 by 56 by 18 in. A completely engineered molding line, such as that used in the following example, is necessary for efficient utilization of this type of molding machine. Example 157. High-Production Molding System for Gland-Ring Castings
(Fig. 14)

Mold-cooling conveyor

Mold. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Green sand, no wash . . . : . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (b) Chill depth (ASTM W2) %6 in. max Number of castings per mold. . . . . . . . .One(c) Weight of metal poured 39 lb Weight of trimmed casting .31 lb Pouring temperature ... ...2650 F Mold temperature at shakeout. . . . . . . .1400 F Annual production .1500 castings Unit cost in 50-piece lots .$5.52 Unit cost in lOOO-pieceots.. . . . . . . . . . .$5.31 l
Inoculant.

Casting metal

.... .Gray

iron (a)

Sand is supplied from mullers to molding machine A by inclined conveyor. Shuttle car on molding machine positions drag and cope patterns alternately in the machine. Sprues are cut at B, and a rollover unit is located at C. At point D, ,the mold changes direction and is moved to E. Cope flasks move along line F; drag flasks move to H. Cope and drag flasks then move parallel to each other. Cores are set in the drag flask, and chllls in the cope flask. At G the cope flask is rolled over; at J the mold is closed (cope and drag assembled). The mold is then moved to the pouring area K. After pouring, the mold moves through junctions Land M to the shakeout area N. At P, the sand and casting are pushed up out of the flask .onto a synchronized indexing conveyor, where casting and mold are allowed to cool until the flask reaches the sorting table. Q is a flask as it moves out of the push-up operation. At R, the cope and drag elements of the flask are separated, for the next cycle. Fig. 14. Layout of an automatic line, including high-pressure molding machine, for high-volume production of gland-ring castings (Example 157)

. traveling

Sand slingers are molding machines that deliver the sand into the mold by velocity from a rotating impeller. Molds produced by this method have adequate strength, since hardness is a function of sand velocity, which is controllable in a sand slinger. Sand slingers are portable, usually

on rails. Most of them are

A time and cost estimate was made for producing the gray iron motorframe casting shown with Table 13, using high-pressure jolt-squeeze molding. Details of this estimate are given in the following example. Example 158. High-Pressure Jolt-Squeeze Molding for Production of Motor Frames (Table 13) For the production of 31-lb gray iron motor-frame castings (shown in Table 13) a time and cost estimate was made, based on the use of high-pressure jolt-squeeze molding with manual auxiliary ramming using a pneumatic tool. (Because of its depth, the cope would have been rammed by means of the pneumatic tool, and finished in a squeezer to develop the necessary hardness.) Molding time was estimated at 4~2 min per mold (one operator). Time for pouring and shakeout was estimated at 25 min per mold. Estimated time for blasting, snagging and other cleaning operations totaled 7% min. Thus, total estimated time for molding, pouring and cleaning was 37 min, which was 7% to 101,6min per mold less than conventional jolt-squeeze molding. Additional production and cost details are given in Table 13.

duced two castings. The conventional system was replaced with a ~igh-pr?duction molding system (Fig. 14), whlCh; utIlized a high -pressure jolt-squeeze ~Chine. Flasks for the high-pressure mac ne were 35 by 50 in. by 15 over 15 in.; ~Olds required an average of 200 lb of metal. nder normal operating conditions, 120 complete molds could be produced per hour' this nUmber was limited by the need for s~tting Cores dnd chills. .As a .result of the change in equipment, the ~1enslOnal tolerances, surface finish, produca~ y, land. working conditions were improved, scr c eanmg costs, flask maintenance, and ap were reduced. ca~~e larger flasks allowed combinations of s mgs to be molded, because each pattern ~.lateh could be designed to contain quarterlZe, aU-size, and full-size patterns.

In the production of 10-in.-diam gray iron gland-ring castings, the molding system original.ly used was inefficient, because of high eqUIpment maintenance costs and the need for excessive cleaning of the castings. The system consisted of six conventional joltsqueeze mOlding machines - three cope and three drag units. Sand was supplied from overhead, and a car-type conveyor moved molds from pouring to shakeout. Flasks were 3o by 30 in. by 6 over 6 in. Each mold pro-

In most applications where highpressure jolt-squeeze molding has replaced conventional jolt squeezing, a major portion of the time saved is in the cleaning. Because of the higher pressure, registry of the pattern in the sand is better when the high-pressure jolt-squeeze method is used. Because of better pattern registry, less cleaning, chipping and grinding of castings is required after shakeout.

also conditioners, in that they riddle to eliminate lumps. They then convey the sand mixture to the slinger head, where it is picked up by the impeller and driven into flasks. When a sand slinger is used on a production line (endless mold conveyor), fewer flasks are required for a given job because of the higher production. Several jobs that are ready for the slinging operation can be placed on the turntable at the same time, and no time is lost in changing jobs. However, sand slingers are more susceptible to human error than are some other methods of making molds, because an operator controls the machine and a considerable amount of operator skill is required to achieve consistent results. Sand slingers are most often used for ramming medium-size to large molds. For very large molds, the complete slinger system is transported to the mold. Another type of machine for sand compaction uses a rubber sheet over the top of the sand in the flask. Air pressure applied above the sheet is distributed into an even compressive force independent of height.

'

Gating Systems The function of a gating system is to fill a mold cavity completely, avoid or
sand or slag, and feed liquid shrinkage. The gating system should be designed to promote progressive solidification from the point most distant

prevent pickup or entrapment of loose

ill